Top 10 Best Universities in Ireland

Top 10 Best Universities in Ireland

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The higher education in Ireland is usually determined by individual institution requirements as some may require additional examinations apart from the national exams as well as an English test. There are public, private universities as well as technical colleges in the country, and here are ten of them that might interest you, listed in no specific ranking!  

1. Trinity College Dublin 

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The trinity college has the largest research library in Ireland. The university was founded in 1592, it is the oldest university in Ireland and one of the oldest in Western Europe. The university has over 600-course options in its three faculties- arts, humanities, and social sciences with some of the best-known courses being Mathematics, Engineering, Immunology, Psychology, English, Politics, Nanotechnology, Information Technology among others. The college, which is situated at the heart of the Irish Capital city also offers students a feel of the Irish traditions and beauty.

The library has over six million books and has been around since the institution was built. When one is not in class or the massive library, students can take part in the over 50 sports clubs and the 100 college societies!

2. University College, Dublin

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The university college of Dublin boasts of a student population of about 32, 000 and a staff count of over 1,400, all of who are well versed in their area of specialization, making it the largest university as per student count. The university was founded in 1854 and named the Catholic University of Ireland, then the name was changed to Royal University and was later changed to its current name in 1908.

The university also has a large population of non-Irish students and faculty members and also has global centers in New York, Delhi, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, and Dubai. The university has six schools and many schools under them some being; Arts & Humanities, Art, History and Cultural Policy, Classics, History & Cultural Policy, and others. 

One reason you should go to the University College of Dublin, the university, has the largest archive of oral tradition and oral history! The university is in Dublin, therefore there is a lot to learn and enjoy. 

3. National University of Ireland, Galway

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The National University of Ireland has its strength in the Arts sphere. It was founded in 1845 and was then known as Queen’s College Galway then renamed to University College Galway before it was renamed to the National University of Ireland, Galway. QS World University Rankings ranked the university among the top 1% universities in 2018. 

The university is also a member of the Coimbra Group, which is a group of long-established European Universities- there are about 40 of them, and is affiliated to various research institutes. The university has five colleges- Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies, Business, Public Policy, and Law, Engineering and Informatics Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, and College of Science and has local and international students enrolled in these programs. 

4. University College Cork

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Located in Cork, Ireland, this university is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland. It is one of the three Queen’s Colleges located in Queen’s, Cork, and Galway; and was established in 1845. It was established as the Faculty of Commerce and now, the institution has about 22,000 students. 

The university offers courses in Business & Economics, Social Science, Computer Science, Engineering & Technology, Physical Sciences, Life Science, Arts & Humanities, as well as Clinical & Pre-Clinical Health.

5. Dublin City University 

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The institution was first established as the National Institute for Higher education in 1975, it began its training in 1980 and was elevated to the status of a university in 1989. This is one of the youngest Universities in Ireland.

The university has 200 programs in its five faculties Business, Engineering & Computing, Science & Health, Humanities & Social Sciences, that are offered in its five campuses. The Chief Marketing Officer at Google Lorraine Twohill as well as Ireland’s politician Enda Kenny is some of the most notable alumni!

6. Maynooth University

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Maynooth University is also known as the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. The university has a student population of about 13, 000 students; and is located on the outskirts of Dublin. This is one of the constituent universities of the National University of Ireland. The courses offered by the university include Criminology, Ancient Greek, Arts, Biotechnology, Astrophysics, and so on, in their Arts & Science Faculties. The students also get to enjoy about 100 student club activities.

According to Times Higher Education (THE) University Rankings, 2020, Maynooth University is currently ranked 43rd worldwide among young universities and is the number 1 in Ireland. 

7. Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

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The Royal College of Surgeons offers an eight-year training for surgery students and is the professional association for surgery in the whole of Ireland. It was founded in 1874 and has two campuses at the moment with a staff of about 1,000. The college has five schools- School of Pharmacy & Biomolecular Sciences, School of Physiotherapy, School of Medicine, School of Nursing & Midwifery; offering undergraduate and postgraduate course dentistry, Sports & Exercise Medicine, Radiology, and Nursing & Midwifery among others. 

The campus also offers students a rich Dublin experience, with the beautiful St Stephen’s Green being at the heart of the campus. 

8. University of Limerick 

University of Limerick
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The University of Limerick was elevated to the status of a University in 1989, after being known as the Institute for Higher Education, Limerick since its foundation in 1972. The university, located in Limerick offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees up to the Ph.D. levels and is best known for its Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences courses. 

The university also has diverse courses that students can choose from- like Digital Culture and Communication, History, Sociology, Spanish, German, Music and Dance, Linguistics, Mathematics, Nursing, Criminal Justice, Psychology and Sociology, Law, Law and Accounting, Business, Education, Engineering, Health Sciences, and Science, among others. 

The university offers Open Days regularly which can be booked through the university website. 

9. Cork Institute of Technology

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The university offers Arts, Engineering, Business, Music, Drama, and Science Course. It was established in 1873 and is located in Cork, Ireland. It was initially known as the Regional Technical College, Cork, and changed its name to the Cork Institute of Technology in 1993. 

The institution offers courses in Art & Design, Computer Science, Social Sciences, Medicine & Health, Engineering & Technology, Business Management, IT, Journalism & Media, Education, and training among others, in its undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It has four campuses and apart from its many courses, it also has societies and sports clubs that students can enjoy. All the courses offered here are recognized by the National Framework of Qualification. 

10. Griffith College

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Founded in 1974, Griffith College is one of the largest institutions in Ireland. The college has several campuses with the main one in Dublin and the others in Cork, and Limerick. The college is best known for its Business, Journalism and Media, Counselling and Psychotherapy, Design, Music & Multimedia, Law, Teaching & Learning, Professional Accountancy, and Pharmaceutical Science Engineering. 

Cultural activities, as well as sports, are also a large part of Griffith College’s life and the students are drawn from many countries in the world. One more thing, the college offers placement for students in major companies in the world.